Today marks the 200th anniversary of publisher John W. Scott’s September 4, 1813 initial issue of The Religious Remembrancer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the oldest publication in the Christian Observer family of periodicals. The Religious Remembrancer was later renamed the Philadelphia Observer.

In Richmond, Virginia, in 1827, Dr. Amasa Converse became editor of the Visitor and Telegraph, later renamed the Southern Religious Telegraph, which in 1839 was merged with the Philadelphia Observer in Philadelphia. Dr. Converse in 1840 renamed the merged publication the Christian Observer.

Dr. Converse moved the Christian Observer to Richmond, Virginia, in 1861 where it remained until 1869 when it moved to Louisville, Kentucky. The Christian Observer continued publication in Louisville under succeeding generations of the Converse family until the 1970’s, when it ceased publication and placed into the hands of a nonprofit Kentucky corporation that held it in trust for later revival.

In 1987, the Christian Observer moved to Manassas, Virginia, where it was revived under Managing Editor and later Publisher the Rev. Dr. Edwin P. Elliott Jr. The Christian Observer continued publication in Manassas for almost twenty years before ceasing printed publication in mid-2007 due to the rising costs of printing and postage. The Christian Observer publication Presbyterians Week continued to be published by email as it had been since it was begun by Dr. Elliott in the early 1990’s.

In 2008, Dr. Elliott, Managing Editor Bob Williams, and Associate Editors the Rev. Chuck Huckaby and Eric Pastorek began the process to revive the Christian Observer on the World Wide Web, and this new version was launched on Reformation Day, October 31, 2008. The Christian Observer completed its move to Lexington, Virginia after Dr. Elliott’s death in October 2009.

The purpose of the Christian Observer continues to be the same as was that of Dr. Amasa Converse: To advance the cause of Christ in the world and promote the work of the church. The Christian Observer continues as the journal of record for the worldwide Presbyterian and Reformed community. The mission of the Christian Observer is defined by the masthead Scripture of Matthew 28:20a “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:”

— Death of the Rev. Dr. Amasa Converse – 9 December 1872 -Obituaries for publisher the Rev. Dr. Amasa Converse from the 11 and 18 December 1872 issues of the Christian Observer, which provide a detailed history of the publisher and much about the Presbyterian church and the culture of 19th century America. Many thanks to Wayne Sparkman, Th.M., C.A., Director, PCA Historical Center, for providing this information.]

— We Need Discrimination in Education – – by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – how the word “discrimination” has been twisted and narrowed in meaning by the educational establishment to the point where constructive discrimination – a key to real education and wisdom – has been cast aside;